2013 Nissan Xterra PRO-4X Rocky Mountain Review

...I find myself highly recommending the Xterra, its mix of decent
on-road manners with proper off-road capability is a good one, particularly
in the Mountain West...

By Dan Poler
Rocky Mountain Bureau
The Auto Channel

To be a human being is to make mistakes, and to be a decent human
being is to acknowledge mistakes when you make them. When I received the
specs of the 2013 Nissan Xterra, I’ll admit to being a little
underwhelmed. An old-school, body-on-frame SUV with no major refresh since
2005 – can you blame me for not looking forward to a week with this
vehicle?

But I’ll say it. I was wrong, I’m more than happy to
admit it. I had more fun with the Xterra than I’ve had driving in
quite some time.

Let’s get one thing out of the way – Don’t call it
a crossover. Although the word has supplanted the use of
“Sport-Utility Vehicle” – the Xterra truly is an SUV,
with a proper four-wheel drive system with low-range gearing, a locakable
differential, and a substantial 9.5 inches of ground clearance to tackle
just about any trail passable to a vehicle of its size. On the utility
front, its boxy shape makes it an excellent cargo hauler, accommodating a
spacious 65.7 cubic feet of cargo with the rear seats laid down, and the
front passenger seat will also fold flat if needed to transport
particularly long items – and to say nothing of the substantial roof
rack and integrated roof cargo box.

Upon first sight, there’s something instantly familiar about
the Xterra’s styling. Unsurprising, again given only minor changes
since 2005 – even prior to that, other than a dalliance with round
headlights for short time, the Xterra has retained its same basic look
since its inception for the 2000 model year. Our tester was a PRO-4X
variant, which adds some distinctive exterior and mechanical features like
roof-mounted off-road lights, upgraded tires mounted on 16-inch alloy
wheels, and Bilstein shocks. It looks good. It looks aggressive, ready for
what the world can throw at it. Yes, it’s been in its current form
for quite some time, but it looks GOOD – an angular, chiseled body
needing nothing in the way of update or modification.

Inside, we find a basic but serviceable interior. Not many gadgets,
even the comfortable cloth seats are manually-controlled (although the
driver does receive quite a decent variety of adjustment, including lumbar
and height). But the Xterra has it where it counts – the white-faced
gauges are clear and easy to read, and controls logical and in reach.
Additional features provided at the PRO-4X trim level are evident here,
including a leather-wrapped steering wheel, controls for that locking rear
differential, and a Rockford Fosgate audio system with a 5.8” color
display for navigation and entertainment control. The infotainment setup is
not only easy to control but also great sounding, with deep bass –
the only quibble worth mentioning is that roads would disappear from the
GPS display unless zoomed in tight – an inconvenience when out on
forest service roads and trails.

In driving the Xterra, it has something of a split personality
depending on the need. On the highway, it’s competent and connected
– surprisingly so. It’s a body-on-frame vehicle with off-road
shocks and tires, so it does bounce and rock a bit, but not annoyingly so
– the motion is almost soothing, a throwback to the pre-unibody days.
Nonetheless, control inputs are easy, with good response to accelerator,
steering, and brake. In fact, it’s probably somewhat more comfortable
and serviceable for around-town, day-to-day driving than the Jeep Wrangler
Unlimited. (See my 2013 Jeep Wrangler Review

Offroad, however, is where the Xterra shines. The ample 9.5-inch
ground clearance enables it to clear all but the most extreme obstacles,
and a good time was had in determining that it did a great job on some
fairly harsh terrain in the national forests southwest of Denver.

Regardless of off-road or on-road, visibility is excellent, owing to
the driver’s high, truck-like seating position, and four adults can
be comfortable, with five a squeeze. The torque from the 4.0L V6 delivers
when it’s needed. All told, the Xterra managed an average of 17 mpg,
mediocre relative to the market as a whole but on par with similar
offerings from other manufacturers. The Xterra’s 5,000-pound towing
capacity also shouldn’t be overlooked, more than adequate for a
camper on the weekends.

Much to my own surprise, I find myself highly recommending the
Xterra. The mix of decent on-road manners with proper off-road capability
is a good one, particularly in the Mountain West where weekends will find
you from the home improvement store to the national forests, and everywhere
in between. I’m willing to admit that my first judgment was wrong,
and I’m happy about that fact.

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